Leviticus 7 21

Leviticus 7:21 kjv

Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the LORD, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

Leviticus 7:21 nkjv

Moreover the person who touches any unclean thing, such as human uncleanness, an unclean animal, or any abominable unclean thing, and who eats the flesh of the sacrifice of the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person shall be cut off from his people.' "

Leviticus 7:21 niv

Anyone who touches something unclean?whether human uncleanness or an unclean animal or any unclean creature that moves along the ground?and then eats any of the meat of the fellowship offering belonging to the LORD must be cut off from their people.'?"

Leviticus 7:21 esv

And if anyone touches an unclean thing, whether human uncleanness or an unclean beast or any unclean detestable creature, and then eats some flesh from the sacrifice of the LORD's peace offerings, that person shall be cut off from his people."

Leviticus 7:21 nlt

If you touch anything that is unclean (whether it is human defilement or an unclean animal or any other unclean, detestable thing) and then eat meat from a peace offering presented to the LORD, you will be cut off from the community."

Leviticus 7 verses

Leviticus 7 21 Meaning

Leviticus 7:21 conveys a strict mandate concerning ritual purity when partaking of sacred offerings. It states that any individual who, being in a state of ritual uncleanness—whether from human sources, unclean animals, or detestable creatures—eats from the consecrated flesh of the Lord's peace offerings, shall be "cut off" from their community. This emphasizes the vital importance of purity in fellowship with the holy God through shared sacrifice, demonstrating that defilement cannot be permitted to intrude upon the sacred.

Leviticus 7 21 Context

Leviticus 7 details the specific regulations concerning various types of offerings, continuing from previous chapters that outlined their general procedures. Verses 11-36 specifically address the peace offering (also known as the fellowship offering or offering of well-being), distinguishing between different types such as thank offerings, votive offerings, and freewill offerings. A unique aspect of the peace offering was that a portion of the meat was returned to the worshiper to be eaten in a communal meal before the Lord, signifying fellowship and shared blessings. This eating had strict purity guidelines, as eating sacred food while defiled desecrated the holy. Verses 19-21 highlight the critical importance of ritual purity for anyone consuming this consecrated meat. The historical context for these laws is the nascent Israelite nation immediately following their exodus, being established as a holy people in covenant with a holy God. The intricate system of ritual purity was paramount to maintain the sanctity of God's presence among them, as His dwelling (the Tabernacle) was in their midst. These laws, while ritualistic, conveyed theological truths about God's absolute holiness and the necessity of His people's separation from impurity to maintain their relationship with Him.

Leviticus 7 21 Word Analysis

• Moreover: Indicates an additional, weighty stipulation within the broader legal framework.
• if anyone: Hebrew: nephesh (נֶפֶשׁ). While often translated "soul" or "life," here it means "a person" or "any individual." It emphasizes the personal responsibility and the individual consequences.
• touches: Hebrew: naga' (נָגַע), meaning "to touch," "reach," "strike." In a purity context, it signifies making physical contact with something ritually unclean, which then transmits that uncleanness. Even passive contact incurs defilement.
• unclean thing: Hebrew: tame' (טָמֵא). This term describes a state of ritual impurity that rendered an Israelite temporarily unfit for sacred activity or contact with the holy. It does not necessarily denote moral sin, but rather a ritual state preventing full communion.
• human uncleanness: Hebrew: ṭum'at 'adam (טֻמְאַת אָדָם). This specifically refers to defilements that originate from human sources, such as bodily discharges (Lev 15), skin diseases (Lev 13-14), contact with dead bodies (Num 19), or after childbirth (Lev 12). These conditions represent the antithesis of life and holiness.
• unclean animal: Hebrew: behemah teme'ah (בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה). This refers to any land animal specifically categorized as unclean by God for consumption or general contact, as detailed in Leviticus 11 (e.g., swine, camels, rock badgers). Contact with their carcasses (Lev 11:8, 24-28) transmits impurity.
• unclean detestable thing: Hebrew: sheqets tame' (שֶׁקֶץ טָמֵא). The term sheqets often refers to abominable, abhorrent, or creeping things (Lev 11:41), such as rodents or certain insects. These creatures were profoundly despised in the Israelite mindset, symbolizing extreme impurity and perversion.
• and eats: Hebrew: akal (אָכַל). This signifies the active consumption of the holy meat, a deliberate act of partaking in the sacred meal.
• flesh of the Lord’s peace offerings: Hebrew: b'sar zevakh ha'shelamim (בְּשַׂר זֶבַח הַשְּׁלָמִים). This specific reference highlights the gravity of the violation. The peace offering (zevach shlamim) was a sacrifice of fellowship, communion, and well-being, shared with God and among worshipers. To defile this shared meal was to defile the communion itself and dishonor God.
• then that person shall be cut off from his people: Hebrew: venikhretah (וְנִכְרְתָה). This is the severe penalty of kareth. It implied exclusion from the covenant community and its blessings, possibly involving the loss of progeny, a premature death by divine judgment, or formal excommunication by the community. It removed the individual's participation in the corporate identity and privileges of Israel. It emphasizes that this defilement broke the sacred covenant relationship.

Leviticus 7 21 Bonus Section

• The concept of "uncleanness" in Leviticus is complex. It's often not sinful in itself (e.g., childbirth, involuntary bodily discharge, accidental contact with a carcass). However, failing to cleanse oneself after becoming unclean, or knowingly approaching sacred spaces or things while unclean, is sinful, as it demonstrates disrespect for God's holy standards. Leviticus 7:21 falls into this category of deliberate action while in an unclean state.
• The progression of unclean categories mentioned ("human uncleanness," "unclean animal," "unclean detestable thing") can be seen as increasing degrees of abomination or defilement from the Israelite perspective, yet any one of them was sufficient to render one unfit for the sacred meal.
• The "cut off" (kareth) penalty often implies that the individual's future descendants would also suffer, pointing to the profound disruption of the covenant line. In some interpretations, it implies direct divine execution, preventing offspring. This highlights the intergenerational impact of profound disregard for God's covenant laws.

Leviticus 7 21 Commentary

Leviticus 7:21 succinctly expresses a fundamental principle of Old Testament worship: the absolute necessity of ritual purity for engaging in sacred acts and partaking in divine fellowship. The peace offering, being a meal shared by the worshiper with God, was a profound act of communion. This verse unequivocally states that any participant in such a sacred meal, while in a state of ritual uncleanness from various specified sources (human issues, unclean animals, or detestable creatures), profanes the holy and thus desecrates the covenant relationship. The penalty of being "cut off from his people" underscores the profound seriousness of this violation, representing not merely social ostracization but a severing from the blessings and protection of the covenant itself, potentially by divine judgment. It was a stark warning against treating God's holiness casually and a call to a consecrated lifestyle that mirrored God's own purity. The implication extends beyond mere ritual to spiritual preparedness: one cannot approach a holy God or partake in His sacred provisions (whether physical offerings or spiritual sustenance) while knowingly harboring defilement that stands in opposition to His pure nature.